Through three weeks of play in the Grand River Conference, the Trenton Bulldogs had gone undefeated with three consecutive victories, while four teams in Polo, South Harrison, Milan, and Gallatin hovering just one game off the pace. After this Friday night’s action, the next three weeks look to be a feverishly contested race for the conference crown.
Polo had the best opportunity to grab a share of first place, traveling to C.F. Russell Stadium in Trenton to play the Bulldogs, with the Panthers emerging victorious in a turnover-riddled contest 30-20. The triumph pushes Polo’s record to 5-1 (3-1), while dropping Trenton to 3-3 (3-1).
Trenton started the game with a 3-and-out stop on defense, forcing a Polo punt. However, in a sign of things of come for the Bulldogs, a mishandled bouncing punt turned into the first of seven turnovers on the night for Trenton, with Polo, given new life offensively, taking one play to go 37 yards, on a pass from Gentry to Tice, with the extra points giving the visitors a 7-0 advantage.
Trenton climbed back to within 7-6 midway through the first quarter on a 1 yard quarterback sneak by Coleman Griffin, but two lost fumbles in the red zone kept the Bulldogs from taking the lead, with the Panthers, by half, extending the advantage to 15-6, on a 2 yard scoring run by Thompson and a two-point conversion pass to Corp.
The Bulldogs played their most solid football of the night throughout the third quarter and into the early stages of the fourth, with a Sam Gibson two-yard plunge and two-point conversion carry, all with 3:57 remaining in the third, drawing Trenton to within 15-14, with the Bulldogs, continuing to exert pressure on the Panther defense, grabbing the lead for the first time midway through the final quarter, with Tom Johnson on the play-by-play call on Hot Country Z 101.7:
The lead for Trenton was short-lived, as Polo responded with a dagger, as a double-reverse 31 yard touchdown run by Chapman gave the Panthers the lead for good with 5:33 to go in the game, with the two-point pass pushing the advantage to 23-20.
On a fourth down play from the 31 yard line with Trenton’s comeback hopes flickering, a half-back option pass from Thompson to the quarterback Gentry put the final dagger into the Bulldogs, with the extra point kick providing the final margin of 30-20.
Trenton fumbled away six footballs on the night, with an interception thrown late in the first quarter. Polo had issues with turnovers as well, with three interceptions thrown.
Trenton, now tied with Polo, Gallatin, and South Harrison, all at 3-1 atop the Grand River Conference standings, will host Maysville next Friday night on Hot Country Z 101.7.
Trenton junior fullback Sam Gibson had 26 carries for 153 yards for Trenton, with sophomore halfback Gabe Novak adding eight carries for 97 yards, including the go-ahead touchdown.
Here are the rest of the high school football scores from Friday, October 1, 2021:
Gallatin 40, Milan 6 (Heard on KTTN FM 92.3)
South Harrison 28, Putnam County 14
Maysville 45, Princeton 22
Mid-Buchanan 21, Penney 19
Lawson 50, North Platte 6
West Platte 14, Lathrop 7
East Buchanan 44, Plattsburg 20
Maryville 47, Benton 12
St. James Academy (KS) 33, St. Pius X 13
Lafayette 35, Chillicothe 34
Savannah 51, Cameron 23
Macon 42, South Shelby 26
Brookfield 14, Monroe City 6
Palmyra 41, Clark County 0
Centralia 40, Highland 6
Marceline 35, Kansas City Northeast 16
Westran 22, Scotland County 12
Fayette 60, Paris 30
Tolton Catholic 28, Salisbury 22
Harrisburg 46, Russellville 6
Richmond 54, Carrollton 6
Lexington 22, Knob Noster 8
Higginsville 39, Holden 0
8-Man:
Worth County 56, Orrick 8
Albany 82, Schuyler County 22
Stanberry 55, North Andrew 12
King City 74, Rock Port 0
Pattonsburg 56, Rich Hill 44
Knox County 72, St. Joseph Christian 20
St. Paul Lutheran 54, Santa Fe 0
North Shelby 90, Keytesville 22 (THURSDAY)
Platte Valley 62, Southwest Livingston 8
Nodaway Valley 58, DeKalb 6
South Holt 70, Stewartsville-Osborn 20
East Atchison 58, Mound City 6
